Will pullets start to ‘waddle’ when they are going to start laying soon?

[cluckingheck]

For anyone that’s been following one of my threads focused on my freeloader, Daria, she’s 37 weeks old and still hasn’t laid yet. Though, today I noticed she was kind of walking with a waddle and I could fit two fingers in between her pelvic points. Does this mean she’s going to lay any day now? Someone has been digging around in the nesting boxes but I don’t know who it was. I thought it was my broody pullet that finally weaned her chicks and started laying again, but I didn’t think she would rearrange things since she isn’t new to the laying game. Or would she?

Anyways, back to Daria: I haven’t seen any of the roosters mount her, but does that really mean anything?

EDIT: here’s a better video

 

[Brown Chick]

My hen when you hover your hand over her back she squats down. I have two doing that now. One has laid two eggs. No others are doing that. And now that she is laying she is so sweet.

 

[Birdie mom]

I'm sorry, but I'm a bit confused. Daria doesn't seem to be doing anything unusual.

 

[Pentatonchix]

Daria seems normal, she's beautiful!

 

[Alyssa-Bee]

I've never heard anything about 'waddling' like that to be related to laying. The waddling doesn't look abnormal at all to me... who knows, maybe thats because all my girls who are all laying do it! Like Lbrown123 mentioned, they should start crouching a week or two before they lay the first egg. Just put your hand on her back and if she goes into that crouch that they do when a roo mounts them she should be close. Obviously all birds are different so not all will crouch. Other signs to look for are big mature red face and combs and of course them checking out the nests. Hopefully you get a first egg from her soon!

 

[Birdie mom]

The only causes of waddling that I know of are caused by reproductive issues, but that's not what I am seeing.

 

[cluckingheck]

The only causes of waddling that I know of are caused by reproductive issues, but that's not what I am seeing.

yeah, her walk seems to have just changed in the past day or so that I’ve noticed. she seems like she’s swaying her body more than usual. i didn’t know if that meant they were almost ready to lay. i guess I should just stick to her pelvic points getting wider, lol. her face has been red for awhile now, so I’ve been trying to look for different ‘signs’

 

[cluckingheck]

I've never heard anything about 'waddling' like that to be related to laying. The waddling doesn't look abnormal at all to me... who knows, maybe thats because all my girls who are all laying do it! Like Lbrown123 mentioned, they should start crouching a week or two before they lay the first egg. Just put your hand on her back and if she goes into that crouch that they do when a roo mounts them she should be close. Obviously all birds are different so not all will crouch. Other signs to look for are big mature red face and combs and of course them checking out the nests. Hopefully you get a first egg from her soon!

none of my other pullets have ever squatted for me because they have their roosters around. actually, they don’t even really squat for them either! her face has been a little red for awhile now, I think she’s doing it to taunt me. I think it might have been her digging around in the nests, but I never actually saw her in them.

 

[Alyssa-Bee]

none of my other pullets have ever squatted for me because they have their roosters around. actually, they don’t even really squat for them either! her face has been a little red for awhile now, I think she’s doing it to taunt me. I think it might have been her digging around in the nests, but I never actually saw her in them.

I guess all you can do is wait, and maybe watch her to see if she is the one messing with the nest! You can't watch her every second, though! Good luck! I'm so impatient waiting for my girls to lay! One of my EE layed her first egg today... even though I got her in spring last year. Some seem to wait sooooo long!